Easy livin’ with a Honda CR-V

Summertime an’ the livin’ is easy, goes the famous song from 1935 American opera Porgy and Bess.

Er, well it might be if you didn’t have to entertain kids for six weeks – usually on a limited budget and in wretched weather.

Lob all the damp gear, sand-encrusted socks and muddy shoes in the boot, then spend the next fortnight trying to clean out the mess – and stench.

Among the common sense items included in Honda’s new fourth generation CR-V crossover model is a flush-fit plastic tray in the boot that solves these problems.

Lift it out, give it a swill and the job’s done – in a matter of seconds. Smart but simple.

There’s a lot more to the new CR-V than a washable tray though, principally the new twin turbo diesel engine that powers the tested version.

It’s a high power 1.6-litre unit that develops more power than the 2.2-litre powerplant it has replaced, and is more economical too.

With another new addition, a nine-speed automatic transmission, its official average fuel figure is 53.3 miles per gallon, though my own mainly urban return was down at 46.3mpg.

But there’s no doubting the Honda’s popularity. The compact model has recorded in excess of 750,000 sales in Europe since its 1997 launch, almost 50,00 of which were last year, and in the first nine months of that period it was the world’s best selling SUV.

For its latest version, which arrived during the spring, the British built CR-V has been given a more dynamic face, an uprated suspension and better sound-proofing plus a raft of fresh technology.

So safety kit like intelligent-Adaptive Cruise Control and the Japanese brand’s CiTy-Brake Active System come as standard on all models and there’s an upgraded connectivity and infotainment set-up.

There’s also a new look for the dash, wrapped around a seven-inch touchscreen to which a smartphone can be connected with the MirrorLink app.

Otherwise you get a comfortable, attractive car that’s a genuine five-seater with plenty of head and legroom – including in the centre rear seating position – and in the case of the high grade SR model, the seats have a classy leather/Alcantara finish.

The CR-V is also top of its class when it comes to luggage space which ranges from a useful 598  to 1,669 litres, and that’s not far off the capacity of a small van.

Prices are from £22,340 for the  2.0 i-VTEC S two-wheel drive model and there are four trim grades – S, SE, SR and EX. Pearlescent paint adds an extra £500.